Shoe fastening



(No Model.)

L. GAY. SHOE FASTENING.

No. 499,983. Patented June 20, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS GAY, OF LYONS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PIERRE GOURAUD, OF SAME PLACE.

SHOE-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,983, dated June 20, 1893.

Application filed April 21, 1892. Serial No. 430,027. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS GAY, manufacturer, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of Lyons, in the Republic of France, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Fastener for Boots or Shoes, Gloves, and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a new and improved fastening for boots, shoes, gloves, and other articles having a slit or opening which is to be'frequently opened and closed.

To accomplish this object my invention consists in the features of construction and the combination or arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved fastener in its open position. Fig. 2 represents the same fastener in its closed position, that is to say, the ring moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the extreme position at the free extremities of the said plates. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 12 of Fig. l the ring shown being turned up and ready to slide. This figure shows more clearly,the, eon struetion of the guides and the mode of mountingn and of operation of the movable ring. Fig. 4: shows an elevation of a modified arrangement of the fastener. Figs. 5 and 6 represent the improved fastener mounted respectively upon a boot or shoe and upon a glove.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will now de-,

scribe the same in detail, referring to the drawings wherein The letters Aindicate two rigid metallic strips or plates, which are secured to the edge of the slit or opening in the shoe, glove, or other article which is to be opened or closed whenever desired by the wearer. The inner longitudinal edges of these rigid metallic strips or plates are bent to form overhanging flanges a, with which engage the claw-like extremities of a ring B, which is adapted to be quickly moved along the flanges for the purpose of opening or closing the boot, shoe, or other article. To accomplish this the rigid metallic strips or plates are curved longitudinally, and their upper extremities are diverged, as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings, so that when the ring B is drawn into engagement with the diverging upper ends of the strips or plates, the latter will be pressed closely together for the greater part of their length. The lower ends of the rigid metallic strips or plates are loosely connected by a ring D, which permits the said strips or plates to move in various directions. As will be readily understood by displacing this ring along the guides and turning it down the boot or shoe, glove, gaiter or other article to which it is adapted can be opened more or less. In order that this ring shall then remain in the desired position various modes of construction of the ring and fastener may be used. For instance the guides may have several undulations such as those shown in Figs. 1 and 2 each undulation corresponding to a greater or smaller degree of opening of the fastener. Or the upper part, the side or interior of the guide may have several notches or cavities (Fig. 4) in which the ring when turned down may rest in order to prevent the latter from descending under any pressure. For nearly closed positions knobs or projections D of various forms may be provided at the extremities of the fastener so as to constitute a stop for the ring.

This fastener may be attached by sewing, riveting, eyelets or otherwise in any suitable manner to the boots or shoes, gloves, gaiters or the like upon which it is used, the part by which it is fixed being constructed to suit the varying conditions.

What I claim is- The fastener herein described and shown, consisting of the rigid metallic strips or plates A, having the overhanging flanges a, and curved longitudinally so that their upper ends diverge, a ring D loosely connecting the lower extremities of said strips or plates, and a ring B having claw-like extremities engaging the overhanging flanges and adapted to move along the diverging upperendportions of the strips or plates to open or close the latter,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS GAY. IVitnes'ses:

=XAVIER J AMICOT,

JEAN GERMAIN.

too, 

